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Paper
Paper Prescription of perioperative analgesics by UK small animal veterinary surgeons in 2013 J. R. Hunt, T. G. Knowles, B. D. X. Lascelles, J. C. Murrell Data from a survey conducted in 1996–1997 suggested a low level of perioperative analgesic administration to cats and dogs in the UK. In order to evaluate current practice and attitudes with regards to perioperative analgesic prescription, a cross-sectional survey of UK practising small animal veterinary surgeons was undertaken in spring 2013. Four thousand one hundred paper questionnaires were distributed and the survey was made available online. Seven hundred and twenty valid responses were received and analysed. All respondents had access to at least one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and one opioid within their practice. Respondents considered analgesic efficacy, and degree of intraoperative pain, the most important factors governing their selection of NSAID and opioid analgesics. Perioperative NSAIDs were administered by approximately 98 per cent of respondents to dogs and cats undergoing neutering. Multimodal (opioid+NSAID) analgesia was prescribed by the majority of respondents. Neutering was considered more painful in dogs than in cats, and lower rates of opioid and postdischarge NSAID prescription were reported for cats. Orthopaedic, abdominal and dental surgeries were considered equally painful in dogs and cats. Local analgesic techniques were not commonly used. Analgesic prescription has increased since previous surveys, which should translate to improved animal welfare. Introduction In 1999, the results of a survey, conducted between 1996 and 1997, of the attitudes of UK veterinary surgeons to perioperative analgesia in dogs (Capner and others 1999) and cats and small mammals (Lascelles and others 1999) were published. That survey described reduced rates of analgesic use in cats compared with dogs and very low levels of employment of multimodal analgesic strategies. It identified that female veterinary surgeons, and more recently graduated veterinary surgeons, were more likely to use and prescribe analgesic drugs. At that time, there were limited non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (carprofen) available with an indication for preanaesthetic administration (Capner and others 1999), and only three opioid analgesics (buprenorphine, butorphanol and pethidine) licensed for use in dogs and/or cats. Studies in South Africa and Canada have demonstrated increases in the prescription of perioperative analgesics for cats and dogs during the periods 2000–2005 (Joubert 2001, 2006) and 1996–2001 (Dohoo and Dohoo 1996a,
Hewson and others 2006a), respectively. More recently, a high level of analgesic prescription was reported in a survey of practice during feline neutering surgery in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Farnworth and others 2014). Increased availability of licensed analgesics, greater awareness of animal pain, greater knowledge of how to treat pain and increasing availability of continuing professional development (CPD) in pain management were identified as factors in these countries that may have increased the proportion of analgesic prescribers. Similar changes have also occurred in the UK since the previous survey was conducted. Our aim was to survey a representative sample of veterinary surgeons currently involved in treating dogs and cats in the UK about their views towards, and practices in, perioperative analgesia. We hypothesised that perioperative analgesic use would have increased compared with a previous survey of this type (Capner and others 1999, Lascelles and others 1999).
Materials and methods Veterinary Record (2015) J. R. Hunt, BVetMed MSc CertVA MRCVS, T. G. Knowles, BSc(Agric), MSc, PhD (Cantab), CStat, CBiol, CSci, MSB, FHEA, J. C. Murrell, BVSc (hons), PhD (Bristol), DiplECVAA, MRCVS, University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford BS40 5DU, UK B. D. X. Lascelles, BSc, BVSc, PhD, DSAS(ST), DipECVS, DipACVS, MRCVS,
doi: 10.1136/vr.102834 Comparative Pain Research Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA E-mail for correspondence: [email protected] Provenance: not commissioned; externally peer reviewed Accepted February 24, 2015
A cross-sectional survey of veterinary surgeons, engaged in small animal practice in the UK during April and May 2013, was conducted. A written questionnaire, divided into eight parts (see online supplementary appendix 1), was used. Data about the respondent were collected anonymously in Part I. Part II listed a range of analgesic drugs, and respondents were asked to identify those that were available for perioperative use within the practice. Part III comprised questions regarding the analgesics that the respondent used in dogs. These questions investigated the prescription of perioperative NSAIDs and opioids for routine surgery, and the prescription of postoperative NSAIDs and opioids, use of local and adjunctive analgesics, and specific questions on the analgesic strategy and duration of analgesic treatment that would be typically used for eight different painful May 9, 2015 | Veterinary Record
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Paper surgical and medical conditions. Part IV requested that veterinary surgeons assign scores on a numerical rating scale (NRS) corresponding to the degree of pain that they considered each of the eight procedures described in the previous question would elicit, if analgesic drugs were not administered. Parts V and VI mirrored the questions contained in Parts III and IV, but were applied to cats. Part VII requested respondents to indicate whether pain assessment tools were used perioperatively within the practice, and which practice personnel were responsible for perioperative pain assessment in animals. Part VIII asked respondents to indicate whether they believed their knowledge in the area of perioperative analgesia in small animals to be adequate and to indicate their preferred method of updating their knowledge. Parts of the questionnaire were deliberately designed to replicate questions contained within a previous survey (Capner and others 1999, Lascelles and others 1999), in order for direct comparisons to be made. Four thousand questionnaires were distributed by post via a commercial mailing company (Vetfile, UK) to veterinary surgeons engaged in small animal practice, randomly selected from the company’s database. Freepost envelopes to return the survey to the investigators were enclosed. One hundred of the questionnaires were distributed at the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA) Spring Meeting in April 2013. The survey was made available online. Before distribution of the questionnaires, a letter informing veterinary surgeons about the purpose of the study was published in the Veterinary Record and Veterinary Times; a link to the online survey was provided (Murrell and others 2013). Data from completed questionnaires were entered into a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel, 2003). Data from questionnaires that were partially completed were entered into the spreadsheet if the respondent had provided details on date of graduation or gender. Data from the online questionnaire were exported into a spreadsheet file (Microsoft Excel, 2003), which was then used to populate the main spreadsheet.
Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the demographic data, which was compared with reported data for the UK veterinary profession, and to document the number of respondents with access to analgesics within their practices. Data unsuitable for parametric statistical tests, such as the importance assigned to different factors that influenced prescribing of analgesics and pain scores assigned by respondents, were analysed using Kruskall-Wallis tests and, posthoc, Dunn’s multiple comparison test. Differences in prescribing between proportions of male and female respondents, for dogs compared with cats, and AVA members and non-members were analysed using Fisher ’s exact test or χ2 tests as appropriate. A general linear model, and posthoc Bonferroni testing, was used to evaluate the effect of increasing time since graduation on responses. Spearman’s correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between the interval since graduation and pain scores assigned by respondents. Interaction between the factors ‘time since graduation’, ‘gender’ and ‘AVA membership’ was evaluated using logistic regression. No interaction was identified between factors; therefore, these main effects are individually reported. Proportions of responses from different categories of respondents are presented as percentages, interval since graduation is presented as mean±SD (years). Non-normally distributed data (eg pain scores and importance of considerations for prescription of analgesic drugs) are summarised using the median (interquartile range).
Results Demographic data Of the 4100 written questionnaires distributed, 665 were returned. Data from four questionnaires were excluded from analysis. Response rate to the written questionnaire was therefore 16.2 per cent, and completion rate was 16.1 per cent. The online Veterinary Record | May 9, 2015
questionnaire produced 59 usable responses; therefore, the data presented are derived from 720 respondents. The breakdown of responses by demographics is shown in Table 1. Mean interval since graduation of female respondents (13.1±9.5 years) was less than that of male respondents (21.8±11.3 years, P≤0.0001). The distribution of interval since graduation of survey respondents (Fig 1) appeared to mirror the distribution of age groups among practising UK veterinary surgeons (www.rcvs.org.uk/publications/rcvs-facts-2013/?destination= %2Fpublications%2F). Four hundred and sixty-four (65.2 per cent of 711 respondents who supplied an answer) indicated that they worked in a practice that participated in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme; 25 (5.4 per cent) indicated the practice was Tier 1, 279 (60.1 per cent) Tier 2 and 103 (22.2 per cent) Tier 3. Fifty-seven respondents did not indicate at which tier the practice was registered. The proportions of respondents with access to specific analgesic drugs in their practice are shown in Table 2. All respondents indicated that at least one opioid and one NSAID analgesic were available. Five hundred and eighty-nine (81.8 per cent) respondents indicated that at least one full m opioid agonist was available in their practice. The ranked order of importance of factors in the choice of perioperative NSAID and opioid drugs by respondents is shown in Figs 2 and 3 for dogs and Figs 4 and 5 for cats. Respondents determined importance of factors by assigning a value using an NRS, which ranged from 0 to 3; 0 indicating not at all important and 3 indicating of highest importance. Analgesic efficacy was the most highly ranked consideration regarding NSAID prescription in dogs and cats (3 (3–3) P≤0.0001); analgesic efficacy and degree of intraoperative pain were the most highly ranked considerations regarding opioid prescription in dogs and cats (3 (3–3) P≤0.0001).
Administration of analgesics for routine surgeries Routine surgeries were defined as those performed for neutering and lump removal. Approximately ninety-eight per cent of all respondents administered perioperative ( preoperative or intraoperative) NSAIDs to dogs and cats for routine surgeries. In dogs, the proportion of male and female NSAID prescribers was similar (P=0.31). In cats, a lower proportion (94.4 per cent) of male veterinary surgeons prescribed NSAIDs, compared with female veterinary surgeons (99.4 per cent, P≤0.0001). Perioperative opioids were prescribed by 90.5 per cent of all respondents to dogs undergoing routine surgery; a lower proportion of respondents prescribed opioids to cats (81.8 per cent; P≤0.0001) Within each species, similar proportions of male and female respondents prescribed opioids. A higher proportion of respondents prescribed postoperative NSAIDs, for continuing analgesia following discharge from the clinic, to dogs undergoing routine surgery, compared with cats (dogs 75.1 per cent; cats 33.4 per cent, P≤0.0001). In dogs, a higher proportion of female veterinary surgeons (78.4 per cent) prescribed postoperative NSAID analgesia for routine surgeries than male veterinary surgeons (68.4 per cent P=0.004); this difference was not apparent in prescriptions of postoperative NSAIDs to cats. Time since qualifying as a veterinary surgeon was not a significant factor in prescription of perioperative or postoperative NSAIDs to dogs undergoing routine surgery, but prescribers of perioperative opioids to dogs had a shorter time since graduation TABLE 1: Number and categorisation of respondents Overall Survey respondents AVA members Length of time since graduation (years)
Male
Female
720 (100%) 239 (33.2%) 478 (66.4%) 30 (4.2%) 11 (36.7%) 19 (63.3%) 15.8±10.9 21.8±11.3 13.1±9.5
AVA, Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on May 7, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Paper morphine/lidocaine/ketamine in dogs had a significantly shorter interval since graduation than non-prescribers, but this was not different in cats.
100
80
Number of respondents
Analgesia and pain scores by procedure 60
40
20
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54
0 Number of years since graduation
FIG 1: Frequency histogram showing number of respondents (y-axis) by time since graduation (x-axis)
(15.8±12.0 years), compared with non-prescribers (19.7 ±11.4 years; P=0.011). In cats, there was a significant difference in time since graduation between prescribers and non-prescribers of perioperative NSAIDs (15.5±10.6, 31.0±14.3 years; P≤0.0001) and perioperative opioids (15.3±10.5, 18.2±12.3 years; P=0.017). There were no significant differences between members and non-members of the AVA with regard to perioperative NSAID or opioid administration to dogs and cats for routine surgeries, but a higher proportion of AVA members prescribed postoperative NSAIDs to dogs (AVA 92.6 per cent, non-AVA 74.3 per cent; P=0.03) and cats (AVA 77.8 per cent, non-AVA 31.5 per cent; P≤0.0001).
Local analgesia and constant rate infusion analgesia The majority of respondents did not use local analgesic techniques routinely (Table 3). Members of the AVA were more likely to use local anaesthetic techniques (P=0.001). In general, prescribers of local analgesic techniques had a shorter time since graduation than non-prescribers.
Adjunctive constant rate infusion analgesia In dogs, 30 per cent of respondents had administered ketamine constant rate infusions (CRIs) and 23 per cent had administered morphine/lidocaine/ketamine mixture by CRI (Table 3). In cats, 21 per cent of respondents had administered ketamine CRIs for analgesia. A higher proportion of AVA members prescribed adjunctive analgesics compared with non-AVA members (P≤0.0001). Prescribers of CRIs of ketamine, lidocaine and
Respondents indicated their typical perioperative analgesic strategy for a range of surgeries in dogs (see online supplementary Table S1) and cats (see online supplementary Table S2) and indicated the degree of pain that they considered would be associated with each surgery if no analgesia was provided (see online supplementary Table S3 and Fig 6). Consistent with the results for the general approach to analgesia for routine surgeries, there was a high level of prescription of perioperative opioids and NSAIDs and postoperative NSAIDs. Respondents who prescribed opioid and NSAID analgesics concomitantly (multimodal analgesia) for the specified conditions were more recently graduated than those who did not. Members of the AVA were more likely to prescribe multimodal techniques incorporating three or more different analgesic strategies, including the use of local anaesthetic techniques, for all the named procedures. However, an increased proportion of non-AVA members (59.5 per cent) reported the perioperative prescription of tramadol for dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery, compared with AVA members (24.1 per cent; P≤0.0001). For each procedure, only a very small proportion of respondents indicated that they would not prescribe perioperative analgesics. Median and interquartile pain scores assigned by respondents are shown in online supplementary Table S3; mean pain scores are illustrated in Fig 6. The pain scores assigned to most procedures varied between individual respondents. Comparison of procedures between dogs and cats identified no interspecies differences in pain scores assigned to orthopaedic or abdominal surgery, dental extractions or pancreatitis. Ovariohysterectomy (dogs 7 (6–8), cats 6 (5–7), P≤0.0001) and castration (dogs 5 (4–6), cats 5 (3–6), P=0.03) were considered more painful in dogs than in cats. Pain scores assigned by prescribers of perioperative opioids and NSAIDs and postoperative NSAIDs were not invariably higher than pain scores assigned by nonprescribers (see online supplementary Table S3). Time since graduation did not correlate with pain scores assigned for any of the procedures (rs=−0.06 to 0.09). Pain assessment tools were routinely used by 17 per cent of respondents in dogs and cats. Higher proportions of AVA members used pain assessment tools (dogs 89.3 per cent, cats 64.3 per cent) compared with non-members (14.9 per cent and 15.1 per cent, respectively, P
Paper
Paper Prescription of perioperative analgesics by UK small animal veterinary surgeons in 2013 J. R. Hunt, T. G. Knowles, B. D. X. Lascelles, J. C. Murrell Data from a survey conducted in 1996–1997 suggested a low level of perioperative analgesic administration to cats and dogs in the UK. In order to evaluate current practice and attitudes with regards to perioperative analgesic prescription, a cross-sectional survey of UK practising small animal veterinary surgeons was undertaken in spring 2013. Four thousand one hundred paper questionnaires were distributed and the survey was made available online. Seven hundred and twenty valid responses were received and analysed. All respondents had access to at least one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and one opioid within their practice. Respondents considered analgesic efficacy, and degree of intraoperative pain, the most important factors governing their selection of NSAID and opioid analgesics. Perioperative NSAIDs were administered by approximately 98 per cent of respondents to dogs and cats undergoing neutering. Multimodal (opioid+NSAID) analgesia was prescribed by the majority of respondents. Neutering was considered more painful in dogs than in cats, and lower rates of opioid and postdischarge NSAID prescription were reported for cats. Orthopaedic, abdominal and dental surgeries were considered equally painful in dogs and cats. Local analgesic techniques were not commonly used. Analgesic prescription has increased since previous surveys, which should translate to improved animal welfare. Introduction In 1999, the results of a survey, conducted between 1996 and 1997, of the attitudes of UK veterinary surgeons to perioperative analgesia in dogs (Capner and others 1999) and cats and small mammals (Lascelles and others 1999) were published. That survey described reduced rates of analgesic use in cats compared with dogs and very low levels of employment of multimodal analgesic strategies. It identified that female veterinary surgeons, and more recently graduated veterinary surgeons, were more likely to use and prescribe analgesic drugs. At that time, there were limited non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (carprofen) available with an indication for preanaesthetic administration (Capner and others 1999), and only three opioid analgesics (buprenorphine, butorphanol and pethidine) licensed for use in dogs and/or cats. Studies in South Africa and Canada have demonstrated increases in the prescription of perioperative analgesics for cats and dogs during the periods 2000–2005 (Joubert 2001, 2006) and 1996–2001 (Dohoo and Dohoo 1996a,
Hewson and others 2006a), respectively. More recently, a high level of analgesic prescription was reported in a survey of practice during feline neutering surgery in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Farnworth and others 2014). Increased availability of licensed analgesics, greater awareness of animal pain, greater knowledge of how to treat pain and increasing availability of continuing professional development (CPD) in pain management were identified as factors in these countries that may have increased the proportion of analgesic prescribers. Similar changes have also occurred in the UK since the previous survey was conducted. Our aim was to survey a representative sample of veterinary surgeons currently involved in treating dogs and cats in the UK about their views towards, and practices in, perioperative analgesia. We hypothesised that perioperative analgesic use would have increased compared with a previous survey of this type (Capner and others 1999, Lascelles and others 1999).
Materials and methods Veterinary Record (2015) J. R. Hunt, BVetMed MSc CertVA MRCVS, T. G. Knowles, BSc(Agric), MSc, PhD (Cantab), CStat, CBiol, CSci, MSB, FHEA, J. C. Murrell, BVSc (hons), PhD (Bristol), DiplECVAA, MRCVS, University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford BS40 5DU, UK B. D. X. Lascelles, BSc, BVSc, PhD, DSAS(ST), DipECVS, DipACVS, MRCVS,
doi: 10.1136/vr.102834 Comparative Pain Research Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA E-mail for correspondence: [email protected] Provenance: not commissioned; externally peer reviewed Accepted February 24, 2015
A cross-sectional survey of veterinary surgeons, engaged in small animal practice in the UK during April and May 2013, was conducted. A written questionnaire, divided into eight parts (see online supplementary appendix 1), was used. Data about the respondent were collected anonymously in Part I. Part II listed a range of analgesic drugs, and respondents were asked to identify those that were available for perioperative use within the practice. Part III comprised questions regarding the analgesics that the respondent used in dogs. These questions investigated the prescription of perioperative NSAIDs and opioids for routine surgery, and the prescription of postoperative NSAIDs and opioids, use of local and adjunctive analgesics, and specific questions on the analgesic strategy and duration of analgesic treatment that would be typically used for eight different painful May 9, 2015 | Veterinary Record
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on May 7, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Paper surgical and medical conditions. Part IV requested that veterinary surgeons assign scores on a numerical rating scale (NRS) corresponding to the degree of pain that they considered each of the eight procedures described in the previous question would elicit, if analgesic drugs were not administered. Parts V and VI mirrored the questions contained in Parts III and IV, but were applied to cats. Part VII requested respondents to indicate whether pain assessment tools were used perioperatively within the practice, and which practice personnel were responsible for perioperative pain assessment in animals. Part VIII asked respondents to indicate whether they believed their knowledge in the area of perioperative analgesia in small animals to be adequate and to indicate their preferred method of updating their knowledge. Parts of the questionnaire were deliberately designed to replicate questions contained within a previous survey (Capner and others 1999, Lascelles and others 1999), in order for direct comparisons to be made. Four thousand questionnaires were distributed by post via a commercial mailing company (Vetfile, UK) to veterinary surgeons engaged in small animal practice, randomly selected from the company’s database. Freepost envelopes to return the survey to the investigators were enclosed. One hundred of the questionnaires were distributed at the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA) Spring Meeting in April 2013. The survey was made available online. Before distribution of the questionnaires, a letter informing veterinary surgeons about the purpose of the study was published in the Veterinary Record and Veterinary Times; a link to the online survey was provided (Murrell and others 2013). Data from completed questionnaires were entered into a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel, 2003). Data from questionnaires that were partially completed were entered into the spreadsheet if the respondent had provided details on date of graduation or gender. Data from the online questionnaire were exported into a spreadsheet file (Microsoft Excel, 2003), which was then used to populate the main spreadsheet.
Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the demographic data, which was compared with reported data for the UK veterinary profession, and to document the number of respondents with access to analgesics within their practices. Data unsuitable for parametric statistical tests, such as the importance assigned to different factors that influenced prescribing of analgesics and pain scores assigned by respondents, were analysed using Kruskall-Wallis tests and, posthoc, Dunn’s multiple comparison test. Differences in prescribing between proportions of male and female respondents, for dogs compared with cats, and AVA members and non-members were analysed using Fisher ’s exact test or χ2 tests as appropriate. A general linear model, and posthoc Bonferroni testing, was used to evaluate the effect of increasing time since graduation on responses. Spearman’s correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between the interval since graduation and pain scores assigned by respondents. Interaction between the factors ‘time since graduation’, ‘gender’ and ‘AVA membership’ was evaluated using logistic regression. No interaction was identified between factors; therefore, these main effects are individually reported. Proportions of responses from different categories of respondents are presented as percentages, interval since graduation is presented as mean±SD (years). Non-normally distributed data (eg pain scores and importance of considerations for prescription of analgesic drugs) are summarised using the median (interquartile range).
Results Demographic data Of the 4100 written questionnaires distributed, 665 were returned. Data from four questionnaires were excluded from analysis. Response rate to the written questionnaire was therefore 16.2 per cent, and completion rate was 16.1 per cent. The online Veterinary Record | May 9, 2015
questionnaire produced 59 usable responses; therefore, the data presented are derived from 720 respondents. The breakdown of responses by demographics is shown in Table 1. Mean interval since graduation of female respondents (13.1±9.5 years) was less than that of male respondents (21.8±11.3 years, P≤0.0001). The distribution of interval since graduation of survey respondents (Fig 1) appeared to mirror the distribution of age groups among practising UK veterinary surgeons (www.rcvs.org.uk/publications/rcvs-facts-2013/?destination= %2Fpublications%2F). Four hundred and sixty-four (65.2 per cent of 711 respondents who supplied an answer) indicated that they worked in a practice that participated in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme; 25 (5.4 per cent) indicated the practice was Tier 1, 279 (60.1 per cent) Tier 2 and 103 (22.2 per cent) Tier 3. Fifty-seven respondents did not indicate at which tier the practice was registered. The proportions of respondents with access to specific analgesic drugs in their practice are shown in Table 2. All respondents indicated that at least one opioid and one NSAID analgesic were available. Five hundred and eighty-nine (81.8 per cent) respondents indicated that at least one full m opioid agonist was available in their practice. The ranked order of importance of factors in the choice of perioperative NSAID and opioid drugs by respondents is shown in Figs 2 and 3 for dogs and Figs 4 and 5 for cats. Respondents determined importance of factors by assigning a value using an NRS, which ranged from 0 to 3; 0 indicating not at all important and 3 indicating of highest importance. Analgesic efficacy was the most highly ranked consideration regarding NSAID prescription in dogs and cats (3 (3–3) P≤0.0001); analgesic efficacy and degree of intraoperative pain were the most highly ranked considerations regarding opioid prescription in dogs and cats (3 (3–3) P≤0.0001).
Administration of analgesics for routine surgeries Routine surgeries were defined as those performed for neutering and lump removal. Approximately ninety-eight per cent of all respondents administered perioperative ( preoperative or intraoperative) NSAIDs to dogs and cats for routine surgeries. In dogs, the proportion of male and female NSAID prescribers was similar (P=0.31). In cats, a lower proportion (94.4 per cent) of male veterinary surgeons prescribed NSAIDs, compared with female veterinary surgeons (99.4 per cent, P≤0.0001). Perioperative opioids were prescribed by 90.5 per cent of all respondents to dogs undergoing routine surgery; a lower proportion of respondents prescribed opioids to cats (81.8 per cent; P≤0.0001) Within each species, similar proportions of male and female respondents prescribed opioids. A higher proportion of respondents prescribed postoperative NSAIDs, for continuing analgesia following discharge from the clinic, to dogs undergoing routine surgery, compared with cats (dogs 75.1 per cent; cats 33.4 per cent, P≤0.0001). In dogs, a higher proportion of female veterinary surgeons (78.4 per cent) prescribed postoperative NSAID analgesia for routine surgeries than male veterinary surgeons (68.4 per cent P=0.004); this difference was not apparent in prescriptions of postoperative NSAIDs to cats. Time since qualifying as a veterinary surgeon was not a significant factor in prescription of perioperative or postoperative NSAIDs to dogs undergoing routine surgery, but prescribers of perioperative opioids to dogs had a shorter time since graduation TABLE 1: Number and categorisation of respondents Overall Survey respondents AVA members Length of time since graduation (years)
Male
Female
720 (100%) 239 (33.2%) 478 (66.4%) 30 (4.2%) 11 (36.7%) 19 (63.3%) 15.8±10.9 21.8±11.3 13.1±9.5
AVA, Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on May 7, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Paper morphine/lidocaine/ketamine in dogs had a significantly shorter interval since graduation than non-prescribers, but this was not different in cats.
100
80
Number of respondents
Analgesia and pain scores by procedure 60
40
20
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54
0 Number of years since graduation
FIG 1: Frequency histogram showing number of respondents (y-axis) by time since graduation (x-axis)
(15.8±12.0 years), compared with non-prescribers (19.7 ±11.4 years; P=0.011). In cats, there was a significant difference in time since graduation between prescribers and non-prescribers of perioperative NSAIDs (15.5±10.6, 31.0±14.3 years; P≤0.0001) and perioperative opioids (15.3±10.5, 18.2±12.3 years; P=0.017). There were no significant differences between members and non-members of the AVA with regard to perioperative NSAID or opioid administration to dogs and cats for routine surgeries, but a higher proportion of AVA members prescribed postoperative NSAIDs to dogs (AVA 92.6 per cent, non-AVA 74.3 per cent; P=0.03) and cats (AVA 77.8 per cent, non-AVA 31.5 per cent; P≤0.0001).
Local analgesia and constant rate infusion analgesia The majority of respondents did not use local analgesic techniques routinely (Table 3). Members of the AVA were more likely to use local anaesthetic techniques (P=0.001). In general, prescribers of local analgesic techniques had a shorter time since graduation than non-prescribers.
Adjunctive constant rate infusion analgesia In dogs, 30 per cent of respondents had administered ketamine constant rate infusions (CRIs) and 23 per cent had administered morphine/lidocaine/ketamine mixture by CRI (Table 3). In cats, 21 per cent of respondents had administered ketamine CRIs for analgesia. A higher proportion of AVA members prescribed adjunctive analgesics compared with non-AVA members (P≤0.0001). Prescribers of CRIs of ketamine, lidocaine and
Respondents indicated their typical perioperative analgesic strategy for a range of surgeries in dogs (see online supplementary Table S1) and cats (see online supplementary Table S2) and indicated the degree of pain that they considered would be associated with each surgery if no analgesia was provided (see online supplementary Table S3 and Fig 6). Consistent with the results for the general approach to analgesia for routine surgeries, there was a high level of prescription of perioperative opioids and NSAIDs and postoperative NSAIDs. Respondents who prescribed opioid and NSAID analgesics concomitantly (multimodal analgesia) for the specified conditions were more recently graduated than those who did not. Members of the AVA were more likely to prescribe multimodal techniques incorporating three or more different analgesic strategies, including the use of local anaesthetic techniques, for all the named procedures. However, an increased proportion of non-AVA members (59.5 per cent) reported the perioperative prescription of tramadol for dogs undergoing orthopaedic surgery, compared with AVA members (24.1 per cent; P≤0.0001). For each procedure, only a very small proportion of respondents indicated that they would not prescribe perioperative analgesics. Median and interquartile pain scores assigned by respondents are shown in online supplementary Table S3; mean pain scores are illustrated in Fig 6. The pain scores assigned to most procedures varied between individual respondents. Comparison of procedures between dogs and cats identified no interspecies differences in pain scores assigned to orthopaedic or abdominal surgery, dental extractions or pancreatitis. Ovariohysterectomy (dogs 7 (6–8), cats 6 (5–7), P≤0.0001) and castration (dogs 5 (4–6), cats 5 (3–6), P=0.03) were considered more painful in dogs than in cats. Pain scores assigned by prescribers of perioperative opioids and NSAIDs and postoperative NSAIDs were not invariably higher than pain scores assigned by nonprescribers (see online supplementary Table S3). Time since graduation did not correlate with pain scores assigned for any of the procedures (rs=−0.06 to 0.09). Pain assessment tools were routinely used by 17 per cent of respondents in dogs and cats. Higher proportions of AVA members used pain assessment tools (dogs 89.3 per cent, cats 64.3 per cent) compared with non-members (14.9 per cent and 15.1 per cent, respectively, P
